Black students are more likely to be suspended from U.S. public schools — even as tiny preschoolers.

“I think most people would be shocked that those numbers would be true in preschool, because we think of 4- and 5-year-olds as being innocent. But we do know that schools are using zero tolerance policies for our youngest also, that while we think our children need a head start, schools are kicking them out instead.”

Judith Browne Dianis, co-director of the Advancement Project

WASHINGTON — Black students are more likely to be suspended from U.S. public schools — even as tiny preschoolers.

The racial disparities in American education, from access to high-level classes and experienced teachers to discipline, were highlighted in a report released Friday by the Education Department's civil rights arm.

The suspensions — and disparities — begin at the earliest grades.

Black children represent about 18 percent of children in preschool programs in schools, but they make up almost half of the preschoolers suspended more than once, the report said. Six percent of the nation's districts with preschools reported suspending at least one preschool child.

Advocates long have said get-tough suspension and arrest policies in schools have contributed to a "school-to-prison" pipeline that snags minority students, but much of the emphasis has been on middle school and high school policies. This was the first time the department reported data on preschool discipline.

Earlier this year, the Obama administration issued guidance encouraging schools to abandon what it described as overly zealous discipline policies that send students to court instead of the principal's office. But even before the announcement, school districts have been adjusting policies that disproportionately affect minority students.

Overall, the data show that black students of all ages are suspended and expelled at a rate that's three times higher than that of white children. Even as boys receive more than two-thirds of suspensions, black girls are suspended at higher rates than girls of any other race or most boys.

The data doesn't explain why the disparities exist or why the students were suspended.

"It is clear that the United States has a great distance to go to meet our goal of providing opportunities for every student to succeed," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement.

"This critical report shows that racial disparities in school discipline policies are not only well documented among older students, but actually begin during preschool," Attorney General Eric Holder said. "Every data point represents a life impacted and a future potentially diverted or derailed. This administration is moving aggressively to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline in order to ensure that all of our young people have equal educational opportunities."

Nationally, 1 million children were served in public preschool programs, with about 60 percent of districts offering preschool during the 2011-2012 school year, according to the data. The data show nearly 5,000 preschoolers were suspended once. At least 2,500 were suspended more than once.

Hispanic children made up nearly one-third of all preschoolers, but they made up 25 percent of the preschoolers suspended once and 20 percent of preschoolers suspended more than once.

Reggie Felton, interim associate executive director at the National School Boards Association, called the rates "unacceptable." He said there's more training going on to ensure teachers are aware of the importance of keeping students in school.

Daniel Losen, director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies for the Civil Rights Project at UCLA, said the findings are disturbing because the suspended preschoolers are unlikely to be presenting a danger, such as a teenager bringing a gun to school.

"Almost none of these kids are kids that wouldn't be better off with some support from educators," Losen said. "Just kicking them out of school is denying them access to educational opportunity at such a young age. Then, as they come in for kindergarten, they are just that much less prepared."

Popular Comments

This is what happens when school districts substitute "zero-tolerance"
policies for wisdom. What did these 4-5 year old boys do to merit suspension?
Try to kiss a little girl? That's sexual harrasment, you're outta
here. Point
More..

9:58 a.m. March 21, 2014

Top comment

GaryO

Virginia Beach, VA

I pity the pre-school adminstrator who has to face such a decision. If a little
kid is completely out of control day after day, what else can the school do?

Seeking parental involvement is the reasonable course, but if parents
will not or
More..

10:00 a.m. March 21, 2014

Top comment

What in Tucket?

Provo, UT

The cause is not revealed in this article. The problems black America has faced
since the 1950's is the welfare mentality. Prior to that time it is
certainly true racism was a big factor in black unemployment. However there were
few divorces,
More..